Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1887-07-23
KING KALAKAU.


&AE A@AAN*EaaFN
A Honolulu special, dated July s
gives the report Of an interview which .
correspondent had with King kalAkAn.
The king is reported As saying: The
history Of the present trouble would be
too long 10 enter into nov. Ny position
to-day IS largely one Of ignorance As 10
what Is exactly going on As 1 under
stand il, however, the new constitution
Is being drawn up by committee OF re-
vision, composed Of my present minis
try, the supreme court and a number OF
citizens. What that constitution con-
tains l do not know, but am informed
1t has provisions tina. viii radically alter
the political condition Of Affairs He
continued: ''For instance, | am told
that il viii confer franchise upon all
residents, whether citizens or not, pro-
yided they are property holders. Nov
unless class legislation Is practiced that
viii extend the franekise 10 the Chinese,
Japanese and Portuguese, and cut on
the voting power or some three or four
thousand natives whose present quail
fieation Is that Of education, and under
that there are between eleven and twelve
thousand voters, Of whom not more
than five or six hundred are white. Now,
il is a serious question whether / have
any right 70 sign a document working
such injustice 10 my cOuntrymen as this
new constitution would do at the instiga.
ton Of the meeting, more than three
fourths Of whose members have no say
in this eountry's affairs
viii you sign the documents" vas
asked
Il shall not, he repeated, unless
advised b by my priYy council 10 whom
/ shall submit unless | am compelled 20
do il instantly under duresS But no
matter, whether signed by driress or adj
vice, / shall consider the document ille-
gal The only way the existing eonsti-
tuition can be changed is BY 4 vote IL
the legislature az two successive sessions,
and when people attempt 10 change the
constitution in any other way they sim
Ply make me an unwilling party 70 an
Illegal act F"
what are the relations between your.
self and the new ministry, was the next
question.
Il cannot tell, answered the king
spreading open his hands. II have NOT
seen them since they took the oath Of
Office
But that, il was suggested, .,uas
nearly a week ago. Why do not Won
summon them and ask them 70 be in.
formed as to the true condition Of af.
fairs =
1T is surely the duty Of yoar ministry
to keep You informed Of all that is oc-
curing
1T i, said the king firmly. THAT
viii show me their hand, or, at all events
they shall bear the responsibility Of
keeping me in ignorance as 10 what Z
going on. Ill do it, and summOning
Antoine Rosa, his chamberlain, he cave
orders Tor the immediate ccnyening Of
his ministry,
DO you fear any personal yi0lenceF
III you mean dreading il, say no
II You mean anticipating ii, / cannot
say, / do not fear dying, aud do not
believe the end Of the trouble has been
reached.
What means have you Of self dc
fenset"
Il have my bodyguari Of sixty men, I
who are passably we'll armed and /!
drilled, an Austrian battery Of six field /
pieces, two grape cannon with q sweet,- I
ing fire, good bolts 10 outside doors ana |
good hearts within. Then, too, there /
are two companies Of native volunteers
called the Queens and Kings own.
composed mainly Of old retainers. .
But outside there are 900 men, over 1
!, 900 rifles and ammunition enough for
. siege"
"Yes, " replied the king. nervously |
wetting his lips, ''but they have not g6t 4
inside yet"
viii you call on tho United States
ship Adams for assistance?" vas asked 4
Not exactly for assistance" an.
swered kalakaua. ''But / haze deter /
mined upon the sailing Of the Australia
his afternoon either 10 request the min.
ster OF foreign affairs 10 ask the foreign
70 consider the adyiE,-
,ility Of adopting certain plans for -.
urIng me Of my personal safety or else
2 make an appeal over my own sigma
My proposition, he added, Evil bs
hat detachment Of marines shall 10
anded from the Adams and be auar.
cred at the palace, and my argument
MI be that their presence may stop
'loodshed which might otherwise oc-
ur !"